Jain Journal 1983 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 35

APRIL, 1983
137
controlled even the most insignificant action of each human being and nothing could change this.10
It is to be noted in this connection that the concept of the fatalist teachings of which the doctrine of Niyati emerged and developed, was not unknown before Makkhali Gosala. “A belief in fate, the inevitability of important events, or events with dire consequences, seems to arise at an early stage of religious development in many cultures. Parallel with it arises the belief in the efficiency of magic, spells, sacrifice, and prayer, to circumvent the effects of fate”.11 But it was Gosala who moulded it into a methodical and systematic doctrinal shape. His views provide a striking illustration of the trammels of saṁsāra and the rejection of individual initiative in the process of liberation from them.12 Denying the action of karma Gosala believes in an immutable principle which is the determining factor in the universe. To his philosophy karma is uneffected by good conduct, by vows, by penances or by chastity. He practises a rigid path of transmigration when he says that each and every soul must run the same course through a period of 84,00,000 great kalpas before reaching salvation.
"There are 84,00,000 periods during which both fools and wise alike wandering in transmigration, shall at last make an end of pain. Though the wise should hope by this virtue or this performance of duty, or this penance or this righteousness, will I make the karma (I have inherited) that is not yet mature, mature, and though the fool should hope, by some means, to get gradually rid of karma that has matured-neither of them can do it. Pleasure and pain cannot be altered in the course of transmigration, there can be neither increase nor decrease thereof, neither excess nor deficiency. Just as when a ball of string is cast forth, it will spread out just as far as and no farther than, it can unwind, just so, both the fools and the wise, transmigrating exactly for the allotted term, shall then, and only then, make an end of pain."13
10It may be remembered in this connection the well known experiment that was made
by Gosala together with Mahavira taking as specimen a large sesamun plant (tila thambha) which being uprooted and destroyed reappeared in due time. On the basis of that observation Gosala come to the conclusion that all living beings are subject to reanimation (pautta pariharam parihanti)-B.M. Barua, A History of Pre-Buddhistic Indian Philosophy, p. 301, fn. I; Rocklill, The Life of the Buddha,
pp. 250-51. 11 History and Doctrines of Ajivikas, A. L. Basham (HDA), p. 6, ERE, p. 772, 'Fate'. 12G. C. Pandey, Studies in the Origin of Buddhism, p. 342. 18N. Aiyaswami Sastri, “Sramana or Non-Brahmanical Sects', Cultural Heritage of
India, Vol. I, p. 396.